Artemi Panarin scores hat trick in Rangers' win over Red Wings

DETROIT – If you thought the five points Artemi Panarin scored in the first four games of last season foreshadowed his 120-point season, the possibilities for the 2024-25 season could be endless after the star Russian winger his total points increased to 11 over the year by the same margin.

The Breadman continued to improve with each game, scoring a hat trick and a four-point effort in the Rangers' 5-2 win over the Red Wings on Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena.

It was an outstanding performance for Panarin, who already has four exceptional performances under his belt.

“I felt good,” Panarin told the Post after the win. “The first two injections go in for me and of course you feel great afterwards. We also have so many power plays, which means you often have the puck.”

Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Alexis Lafreniere led the Rangers' offensive attack to start the season, which saw the team score 13 five-on-five goals and 20 total goals.

The line is always on offense, and Thursday night was no different.

Panarin, who became the first player in franchise history to score multiple points in each of the first four games of a season, was the driving factor.

Facing Detroit for the second time in four days, the Rangers got the blood pumping early by overcoming 3:18 minutes of being shorthanded on the ice in the first period, which included 42 seconds of 5-on-3 -Power play belonged to the Red Wings.

The Rangers have only conceded two power-play goals on the shootout so far, having saved 13 of the 15 man-advantage periods they have faced.

They defended 3 of 4 on Thursday after allowing a goal late in the third period, but the early shorthanded success quickly turned the offense around.

“I like the fact that we faced some adversity early in the game in the first period,” said head coach Peter Laviolette. “The penalty killers did a really good job. I liked the response we got right after we finished.”

Panarin took a cross-ice feed from Trocheck and put it in the net at 8:30 of the first frame to put the Rangers on the field.

Later in the first period, Panarin doubled the Rangers' power-play score by hitting the top corner just over 10 seconds into the man advantage.

Ultimately, it was Panarin's first of three points on the power play Thursday night after the Blueshirts lost 3-for-4.

“Special players make plays,” Trocheck said of Panarin. “He makes the power play so much more lethal when he’s out there. He is a dangerous player when he has the puck. That makes it a lot easier for us and opens up the ice a lot.”

As effective as Panarin was, Trocheck was right alongside him with a four-point performance of his own. The two were involved in four of Rangers' five goals.

After Trocheck used a stick to block a Panarin shot for a power play goal and the Rangers' 3-1 lead in the second period, the latter hit a one-timer – also with the man advantage – to give his team a comfortable three-point lead.

Victor Mancini later scored his first NHL goal to cap the Rangers' scoring streak, effectively ending Detroit goaltender Cam Talbot's night and bringing on Alex Lyon.

Not only is Panarin on a four-game point streak, but so is Lafreniere.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2020 draft collected two goals and three assists, while Trocheck rose to two goals and four assists after Thursday night's win.

It's hard to imagine Panarin having a better season than last, but another year of building chemistry with Trocheck and Lafreniere could make it possible.

The trio is already making the most of the planned full season together.